Through a new strategic alliance of the Rural Adelante Program, the National Center for Agricultural and Forestry Technology "Enrique Álvarez Córdova" (CENTA) of El Salvador has received $ 500,000 to strengthen the research area focused on the adaptation and mitigation of the effects of climate change, mainly to support more than 10,000 producers in the eastern part of the country.

The eastern area of ​​El Slavador is part of the dry corridor, it is affected by climatic phenomena such as drought and high temperatures that put the productivity of agricultural activities at risk; directly affecting family economies and jeopardizing food security.

With this alliance, the Rural Adelante Program will be supporting the strengthening of CENTA's capacities, mainly in the area of ​​research on practices and technologies for adaptation to climate change, which, once they are validated in conditions typical of the eastern part of the country. , can be transferred to the producers. With this, it is expected to transform agricultural production practices to make them resilient.

”We have a forgotten Research Center, we have a National School of Agriculture and a forgotten agriculture. There is a lack of technology in El Salvador, a lack of resources and a lack of articulation generated in the last 30 years. This led us to be the least competitive country in the region ”, indicated the Minister of Agriculture of El Salvador, David Martínez.

In addition, he highlighted the importance of women in the development of research and new technologies. ”We are a culture where we must give importance to women. They have leadership, weight and importance in the country ”, emphasized the Head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG).

In addition to this, he revealed that this is part of the Agricultural Rescue Master Plan promoted by the government led by President Nayib Bukele. "You (CENTA technicians) are going to give the starting signal to a very ambitious project. My bet is technology and understand that through it we can have sustainable economic growth, ”said Minister Martínez.

The funds to be executed by CENTA within the framework of this alliance will be destined to the hiring of temporary personnel for the development of research, purchase of equipment and materials necessary to develop new technologies; In addition, investment will be made in training for the institution's researchers on issues related to the development of research with a focus on adaptation to climate change.

This year will begin the implementation of three technologies that have been selected from the technological offer that CENTA has available to be validated or transferred to producers.

One of them is the production of the CENTA Cuscatlán tomato seed, an improved variety, free pollination and resistant to high temperatures and residual humidity; For this reason, the sowing of this new variety in the dry corridor area is recommended.

Another of these technologies is the reproduction of vegetative material of cut grass identified as OM22, which has a higher level of protein, which helps to reduce the emission of methane CH4 gas; This material does not have villi, a desirable characteristic for better management, being a genetic material with higher biomass production.

The third is a practice that will support beekeepers, it consists of the use of mobile devices and plastic meshes in apiaries; The objective of this new practice is to harvest higher quality propolis and create a favorable microclimate inside the hives.

With the implementation of these new technologies, it is expected to support the producers of these productive chains so that they can transform their practices and become resilient producers.